Newsletters
February 2023
As Hoosier Action enters our sixth year as an organization, we’re excited to celebrate what we’ve built in 2022 and share our powerful plans for 2023! We dug in deep locally last year training over 500 rural and small-town leaders, building out small-town campaigns to create local change, and helping to pass national legislation like the MAT Act and the Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act. In 2023, we are called not just to fight, but also to build a new and dynamic community capable of resiliency in the face of an unpredictable, rapidly changing world. Check out what we’ve been up to in January and February!
Ohio River Valley Wins Local Campaign!
We did it: the Ohio River Valley Chapter has successfully won our local narcan campaign! The entire New Albany police force is now equipped and trained to administer narcan, the lifesaving overdose reversal drug.
Our members have worked tirelessly to reduce the devastating impact of the overdose crisis, including holding public meetings, knocking on doors, sharing stories, and training over 20 small businesses and churches to carry Narcan. Project Recovery So. IN., Inc has been a vital partner in supplying Narcan to the many institutions committed to saving lives.
Morgan County Chapter Joins the Call for Care
Hoosier Action leaders from Morgan County are taking their call for care to the Statehouse! On Saturday, February 11th, Hoosier Action leaders from across the state joined with 800 others from Faith in Indiana to launch the fight to not only pass, but also fully fund essential mental health bill SB 1. SB 1 will expand access to quality mental health care by ensuring ALL Hoosiers have a number to call, a place to go, and someone to see them when struggling with their mental health.
Morgan County Commissioner Don Adams, who Hoosier Action leaders lined up to speak, shared how the mental health crisis has directly impacted him and announced that he plans to work with the Indiana Association of County Commissioners to push for a fully funded bill.
Fighting for Renters in Bartholomew County & At the Statehouse
Our Bartholomew County Chapter has been continuing their fight for safe, quality, and affordable housing at the local and state level! In addition to knocking on doors in Columbus, chapter leaders and other Hoosier Action members also traveled to the Statehouse for the second annual Housing Day of Action on February 13th. At the event, Bartholomew County Chapter leader Jennifer Wells shared some of her experiences as a renter, and leaders also met with their State Senator Greg Walker and other elected officials.
Unfortunately, less than 24 hours later State Senator Liz Brown sided with wealthy lobbyists at the Apartment Association and killed SB 202, essential legislation which would’ve increased protections for Indiana renters and made rental properties safer for Hoosier families by enforcing basic habitability standards. This is just the latest example of how wealthy corporate actors have rigged the rules at the Statehouse to line their pockets at the expense of Hoosier renters.
Despite this setback, we believe we can win, IF we organize enough people to outweigh the power of the wealthy few and the politicians they pay. That’s why the Bartholomew County chapter is launching a month of weekly outreach on the doors and phones to bring more of their neighbors into the fight to empower tenants and make housing safe and affordable. They’re also preparing for a Know Your Rights training for tenants in March in Columbus.
Action Party
Take action with us to fully fund SB1, an essential mental health bill! This legislative priority has the potential to invest in kind and caring communities, where each Hoosier gets care in our most difficult moments. If this is going to have an impact, we need our legislators to fully fund it with $130 million! Join us to reach out to people in our communities to build support!
Upcoming Chapter Meetings
3/2 Ohio River Valley Chapter Meeting
3/9 Bartholomew Co. Chapter Meeting
Statewide Meeting
3/23 Medicaid All Hands Meeting
Hoosier Action is a community organization made-up of members from local chapters and across the state. We work to build an Indiana where regular people have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. We have hundreds of members from South Bend to Seymour and everywhere in between. We run campaigns, hold trainings, and develop local leadership in the areas where we work; changing hearts and minds (and winning!) along the way.
Change both lives and politics in Indiana: become a member of Hoosier Action today!
Hoosier Action
PO Box 469
New Albany, IN 47150